October 22, 2012

Mavs need to get more physical

DALLAS -– With eight days left until the regular season starts, the Dallas Mavericks need to find a way to get physical with their opponents.

They need to push a few folks around, get more aggressive down low and find a way to become the chairmen of the boards.

And if they can’t do that, the Mavs need to find a way to use their quickness to their advantage.

A sizeable advantage in one – or both -- of the aforementioned areas could be the ticket the Mavs useto roll out another 50-win season.

“We’ve got to bring our own brand of physicality to the game,’’ coach Rick Carlisle said after this morning’s shootaround at American Airlines Center. “We’ve got to use our quickness, we’ve got to be persistent and we’ve got to do things collectively.

“Rebounding is another thing we’ve got to do and focus in on. If we get the ball off the boards then we can run, and we’re going to be fast.’’

So far the Mavs have been beaten on the boards, 46.2 rebounds per game to 42.2. But that’s not the only intangible troubling Carlisle.

“The other thing that’s going on right now that are challenges for us to be corrected is that our concentration and focus and alertness has got to be there,’’ he said. “We’ve made bits and piecesof progress.

“But every time it seems like we picked up one in one area we seem to lose it inanother.

“This is the time left with three games left – a physical seven days left until we get on the airplane – we’ve got to get better.’’

The Mavs host New Orleans at 7:30 tonight at the AAC, before playing Oklahoma City in Wichita, Kan., on Wednesday and ending preseason play Friday at home against Charlotte.

From there, the Mavs hop on a charter next Monday and fly to Los Angeles where they open the regular season on Oct. 30 against the Lakers.